There are many systems for affixing wallboard to studs in the construction of partitions. Some systems are designed to permit the disassembly of the wall in a way which permits the reuse of the components in a new wall, and such systems are commonly referred to as demountable partitions. If the demountable partition is assembled by starting at one end and working toward the second end and subsequently disassembled by starting at the second end and working back to the first end, with individual panels intermediate of the partition ends being incapable of separate removal and replacement without damage, then the partition is commonly referred to as a progressive demountable partition.
An example of a prior progressive demountable partition is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,605, wherein panels with grooved edges are mounted on the flanges of spaced, parallel, vertical I studs. The grooved edges are provided by laminating two wallboard members with rounded edges or by milling a recess in the edge central portion of a single thick wallboard.
Another progressive demountable partition is disclosed in Canadian Pat. No. 1,034,733, wherein metal clips are affixed to the edges of wallboard by a clip central portion which extends into the joint between the panels and pointed wedges which penetrate into the wallboard edge central portion. The clips include a flat plate portion from which a spring finger extends, for receiving the flanges of spaced, parallel, vertical I studs.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,282,631 discloses a fastener for wallboard wherein a metal plate is folded upon itself to provide a front portion and a rear portion capable of being forced over the edge of a support, with a plurality of pointed, slightly curved ears extending from the front portion to impale and bend over within a wallboard and thus attach the wallboard to the support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,979 discloses a two clip combination for mounting wallboard, wherein one clip has a plurality of straight pointed tangs punched out of a flat plate, directed substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the plate, to be driven into the back of a wallboard. A second clip fits into a slot in the first clip and is then hung over a flange on an upwardly opening, horizontally disposed channel, which extends through openings in parallel vertical studs.